Yvan Colonna, the Corsican independence activist sentenced to life in prison for the murder of prefect Claude Erignac in 1998, died last night in Marseille, southern France, 3 weeks after being attacked in Arles prison by another inmate, a jihadist, who a few weeks ago had tried to strangle him.
The drama sparked a series of demonstrations and violence on the island. Colonna, reduced to the point of death, died after 3 weeks in a coma. «Yvan Colonna, a Corsican patriot, lives for eternity. We will always be by your side », the Femu a Corsica party of Gilles Simeoni, the autonomist president of the island’s executive council, tweeted in Corsican language.
Demonstrations in Bastia
Shortly before, the family had confirmed the death, asking for the utmost confidentiality. “Yvan Colonna, who died for Corsica,” Core in Fronte, the main independence party, posted on Twitter, accompanying the message with a black and white photo of the nationalist militant.
At the announcement of Colonna’s death, dozens of people gathered in Bastia in front of the Palace of Justice, hanging banners with the slogan “French assassin state.”
In Ajaccio, in front of the cathedral, groups of people gathered in silence. Threatening message from the Corsican political prisoners defense association Sulidarita, which tweeted: “Down with this murderous French state.”